Guardian of the Moon
by Spilogale
Summary: Kakashi has found an old scroll that might have clues to Itachi. There are many words missing...what is the Temple of the Moons? Our characters team up in coed pairs as they join the race against time to solve the mystery of the Moon.


Well I hope you have fun reading this, cuz I had fun writing it! I know it's not much yet but the story will expand.

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Sakura found Sasuke at his training ground in the mountains, shooting his two daily chidoris. She watched quietly as the last chakra powered lightning edge blasted into the ancient rocks. As Sasuke stood panting, she came out into the open.

"Sasuke-kun..."

Sasuke whirled, and the look in his eyes were surprise and anger at her intrusion.

"Sasuke-kun, you know I wouldn't bother you unless-"

"No." The one word was final. "Whatever you have to say, Sakura, I'm not going to agree to, and I don't need. Please, go."

"I'm trying to help you to find your brother!"

"I said I didn't need any help from you!"

"Whydontyoulistentomefirstyouneedme"

"IdontneedanyoneandIneverwillsoshutupandgo!"

"Kak-"

Before she could finish her sentence, he turned and in a whirl of leaves he disappeared.

(scene change)

"Sakura-chan, Sakura-chan, Sakura-chan!"

"Yes, Naruto?" she gave him a frosty glare but didn't expect him to notice. He didn't.

"Will you, like, team up with me?"

"No!" She said immediately, then softened. "...I mean, I'm grateful to you for asking...for wanting to team up with me...but I want to do this with Sasuke, because I'm doing it for him."

They were silent on the street for a while.

Naruto said slowly, "But, you did ask him, didn't you?"

Sakura hated it that he had already guessed. "He just had to get all 'I don't need anyone' and he wouldn't even listen to what I was asking him. I'm sure that if he knew, he would have calmed down and said yes."

"Team up with me, then." Naruto said suddenly. "You want to help him, right? You want to be out on the search...so come with me."

Confusion clouded Sakura's mind. What Naruto said made sense. Yet...if she paired with Naruto, there goes her chance of teaming with Sasuke.

"Sasuke that bastard would never listen. He takes you too much for granted, Sakura-chan! The only choice is to team up with someone else."

She finally gave in. "Alright, Naruto...I'd rather have you than anybody else...let's go tell Kakashi-sensei."

(scene change)

Sasuke wandered back into his village at sunset. Although his thoughts were all on his training, he noticed that the villagers were all outside their homes and discussing something actively. Something nagged at him, but his worse than usual mood made him ignore it.

Suddenly a hand came on his shoulder.

"It's you Kakashi."

"Haven't you noticed what's going on, Sasuke?" he asked in his usual half-interested drawl.

Sasuke, not understanding, looked around him. The villagers were all out of their homes and shops, crowding around ninja relatives and bidding them farewell and acting sentimental.

"What? Where are everyone going?"

Kakashi sighed. "well, I knew you wouldn't have listened to Sakura."

_Sakura?_ "Hm," was his only reply.

Quickly, Kakashi transported them into Sasuke's apartment. They sat.

"Listen up, Sasuke. We may have found a clue to Itachi."

From out of his pocket he produced a ripped up looking scroll. Sasuke took it and read it aloud. There were many words missing.

"Unleash the...of the red moon......do not.....the young to the temple......seven do...male and female to...f..w...the Tiger...the dragon flute..."

Sasuke looked up and sneered. "How does this concern me?"

"Didn't you read the part about the red moon? Doesn't that remind you of someone? Well, if you're not interested..." He reached for the scroll but Sasuke snatched it away.

"Alright it seems like you wanna listen." Sasuke waited. "'come to the temple', it says. The Godaime has decided to send out teams to seek out this temple, which should be somewhere in the forest where the Tiger lives. One male and one female."

Sasuke raised his eyebrows. "A male and a female?" His immediate thought was that this was ridiculous, but then his intellect pointed out that if it was written on the scroll, it must be something important.

"I see you've already figured out that arguing is futile." Kakashi grinned slightly under his mask. "Pack up for the journey. Oh yeah, FYI, Sakura has already decided to go with Naruto, so if you were hoping to go with her you're out of luck."

Sasuke stopped short at this announcement, then recovered and continued packing while throwing glares at the chuckling Kakashi. Of course he'd been depending on having Sakura as a partner. Did he know any other girl to go with? He shouldered his backpack and strode moodily to the door.

"And where might you be going with that?"

"Once I find a partner, I'll be going."

"I suppose you know where you're going."

Sasuke almost broke down at another jab from his sensei. He fumed for a few minutes, counted to ten many times, and finally strode out with all the cool in the world.

Kakashi watched him leave. _That boy. We are similar... _He seemed lost in thought._ I wonder what he will do when he realizes that all the girls have been taken. Will he be able to snatch some girl from her partner? Good thing I brought a box of tissues._

And with that, Kakashi plopped down on the bed to wait for Sasuke's news, in his heart hoping fondly for his student.


End file.
